Adjournment - Fairer Fares

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Fairer Fares

Hon. MC de BRENNI (Springwood—ALP) (Minister for Housing and Public Works) (7.05 pm)

I rise to report to the House on the results of a survey that has been conducted in the electorate of Springwood on improvements to bus fares across the electorate and across South-East Queensland more broadly. This government’s commitment to tackling the cost-of-living issues in our community is second to none. I reflect on the Fairer Fares package and the trial of demand responsive transport that is coming soon to Logan.

Over several weeks I have been assisted by several locals to collate a community survey. In particular, I mention Lisa, Rianna, Peter and John who assisted me. I am pleased to inform the House that the survey found that 26 per cent of residents use the bus for getting to work or other activities.

The survey has shown us that we are delivering savings on public transport for thousands of residents across Springwood. People such as Vanessa in Columbia Court, Springwood will enjoy a saving of $4.20 each day, getting to university. Fairer Fares was resoundingly supported, with feedback such as ‘cutting prices is the right way’. When we conducted the survey together, Jessica of Springwood was pleased to use the fare calculator to identify that she would save $3.60 per day getting to her job at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Our survey found that the overwhelmingly majority of commuters wanted to see less cars on the road, which is what Fairer Fares is doing. These measures have the power to transform bus transport in Logan, making travelling cheaper and quicker. This Labor government is enabling Springwood residents to access buses to get to jobs that currently are accessible only by car. The Fairer Fares package means that 93 per cent of public transport users in this community will pay less. A local resident of Springwood who travels on the bus to the CBD for work can save around $889 per year.

I know that locals, supported by community organisations such as Access Community Services, will be supportive of our move to bring Queensland into line with other states and territories by ensuring that asylum speakers will have access to concession public transport fares from early 2017.

Our community survey has confirmed how important it is that we continue to focus on making getting to work or to school more affordable. Labor governments understand the critical importance of education in creating opportunities for every Queenslander. We understand the dignity of work. It is this Labor government that has taken real action to deliver real savings for households in our community. The action the LNP took when it was in government was to slash bus services, making it harder for people to get to work and school, and making it harder for people in our community to connect with one another.

That is why this community fought those cuts. Residents wanted better and they deserve better. With this government, they have received better.